The former West Ham and Southampton manager has reformed the Geordies team in recent weeks, drafting in a number of talented players from France in the January transfer window.

These signings seem to have had the desired effect and the Toon are now four points clear of the relegation zone with winnable games on the horizon that could see Pardew’s side finish the season on a high.

Newcastle are also through to last 16 of the Europa League but Pardew will be praying that the competition doesn’t become a distraction that it clearly was in the early months of the season.

The North East club host fellow relegation battlers Southampton on Sunday and Pardew will know this is a big opportunity for his team to continue pulling away from the drop zone.

“I’m genuinely optimistic about the team. I look at the run-in we’ve got and Man City is going to be as tough as this, if not tougher,” Pardew told talkSPORT.

“But the other games – you’d like to think we’re going to get plenty of points out of them with that team. That’s not a bad team that.”